B
Bonhomme
Hi, and sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong section, I saw multiple threads about CM everywhere.
Then, excuse my poor english, and lack of QMS / general industry knowledge. I’m a young french student in his first job (actually a 1 year part-time training course between school and my company)
As part of a checklist for the new EN9100 version, I'm studying Configuration Management, as a lack of Configuration Audits was clearly identified. I've read our CM procedure, ISO 10007, and several threads here and various other sources.
I still have lots of questions (ISO 10007 appeared especially confusing to me )
First let me clarify my context : my company is in the electronics domain, assembling printed circuit boards and electronic components (both bought to all kind of suppliers) either to customer design (we only design the process), or to our own design according to customer specs (product design in another location, not totally in my scope). Depending of the electronic card/product and customer request, we also do some integration, up to final packaging. Customers range from diverse industrials to automotive/aeronautics direct suppliers
- Configuration items : what are they ? Parts/sub-assemblies ? Design documents (either product / process) like plans, BoM ... ?
If the latter, I understand how we could identify & manage such items, but I fail to see how to identify sub-assemblies of electronic cards directly made of components. These are way « simpler » than a motor or whatever, built of X sub-assemblies themselves built of X parts. So that configuration item thing is blurred to me.
-Configuration plans : I don’t get that either. Are we supposed, for each product, to make or state a « configuration plan » that will explain in detail how we will manage configuration ? Isn’t a CM procedure enough, as electronic cards are, regarding changes, simple products ? The CM process will be the same each time, and apparently customers don’t seem to have a problem with that
- Configuration audits : If I get it right, we have to make Physical and Functional audits, which in my eyes looks like the ISO 9001 requirements of verification (=built according to specs, "theoric") & validation (=works as desired, "practical")
How is that different from « plain » controls during different production stages (verifying the soldering paste height and correct soldering characteristics according to IPC standards, etc)
and a final functional test (ie the distress beacon, once integrated, is correctly emitting to the right frequencies, is floating, etc)
Considering the production/control documents in the manufacturing area are up to date (every work order has the product revision n° written, and every document has a corresponding revision n°)
it seems to me like we're complying with the requirements, as every product is built and controlled/tested according to the latest available specs, and any NC (wrong document n° …) is transmitted to the engineer in charge of CM
From what I’ve read here (mostly « don’t panic, you’re probably good already ») I think we’re indeed not that bad. The CM procedure & system guarantees every product and manufacturing process will be associated with technical files and uptodate specifications, associated with « sub-files » in the plant, and that every change will be implemented all the way to the work documents BEFORE a product is done
We also have a Change Committee and associated procedure, involving people of most fuctions (engineering, quality, planification, buyers …), assessing impacts according to requirements (data, recording, etc)
So I’d say we’re in good shape, except maybe we should have formal configuration audits planned (and maybe put "CM" name all over ? I'm sure everyone in the plant gets the importance of it, but without knowing its name)
Change control seems good, traceability is maintained, documentation is consistent at all levels and with the product made
But reading ISO 10007 makes me doubt (and gives me a headache :x) more than giving me firm beliefs.
Hope that wasn’t too long, I like it when people in forums show they at least tried before asking :x
I’d really appreciate any highlight/advice on this, even though people have already helped multiple times on the subject.
Thanks in advance
Then, excuse my poor english, and lack of QMS / general industry knowledge. I’m a young french student in his first job (actually a 1 year part-time training course between school and my company)
As part of a checklist for the new EN9100 version, I'm studying Configuration Management, as a lack of Configuration Audits was clearly identified. I've read our CM procedure, ISO 10007, and several threads here and various other sources.
I still have lots of questions (ISO 10007 appeared especially confusing to me )
First let me clarify my context : my company is in the electronics domain, assembling printed circuit boards and electronic components (both bought to all kind of suppliers) either to customer design (we only design the process), or to our own design according to customer specs (product design in another location, not totally in my scope). Depending of the electronic card/product and customer request, we also do some integration, up to final packaging. Customers range from diverse industrials to automotive/aeronautics direct suppliers
- Configuration items : what are they ? Parts/sub-assemblies ? Design documents (either product / process) like plans, BoM ... ?
If the latter, I understand how we could identify & manage such items, but I fail to see how to identify sub-assemblies of electronic cards directly made of components. These are way « simpler » than a motor or whatever, built of X sub-assemblies themselves built of X parts. So that configuration item thing is blurred to me.
-Configuration plans : I don’t get that either. Are we supposed, for each product, to make or state a « configuration plan » that will explain in detail how we will manage configuration ? Isn’t a CM procedure enough, as electronic cards are, regarding changes, simple products ? The CM process will be the same each time, and apparently customers don’t seem to have a problem with that
- Configuration audits : If I get it right, we have to make Physical and Functional audits, which in my eyes looks like the ISO 9001 requirements of verification (=built according to specs, "theoric") & validation (=works as desired, "practical")
How is that different from « plain » controls during different production stages (verifying the soldering paste height and correct soldering characteristics according to IPC standards, etc)
and a final functional test (ie the distress beacon, once integrated, is correctly emitting to the right frequencies, is floating, etc)
Considering the production/control documents in the manufacturing area are up to date (every work order has the product revision n° written, and every document has a corresponding revision n°)
it seems to me like we're complying with the requirements, as every product is built and controlled/tested according to the latest available specs, and any NC (wrong document n° …) is transmitted to the engineer in charge of CM
From what I’ve read here (mostly « don’t panic, you’re probably good already ») I think we’re indeed not that bad. The CM procedure & system guarantees every product and manufacturing process will be associated with technical files and uptodate specifications, associated with « sub-files » in the plant, and that every change will be implemented all the way to the work documents BEFORE a product is done
We also have a Change Committee and associated procedure, involving people of most fuctions (engineering, quality, planification, buyers …), assessing impacts according to requirements (data, recording, etc)
So I’d say we’re in good shape, except maybe we should have formal configuration audits planned (and maybe put "CM" name all over ? I'm sure everyone in the plant gets the importance of it, but without knowing its name)
Change control seems good, traceability is maintained, documentation is consistent at all levels and with the product made
But reading ISO 10007 makes me doubt (and gives me a headache :x) more than giving me firm beliefs.
Hope that wasn’t too long, I like it when people in forums show they at least tried before asking :x
I’d really appreciate any highlight/advice on this, even though people have already helped multiple times on the subject.
Thanks in advance